Childhood in The Shire
by little-took-lassie3
Summary: Pip is growing up & with that comes responsibilities, confusement, and worst of all- GIRLS. Follow Pippin through the prime years of his youth. Pip's POV. Please review.
1. Nightmares

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Childhood in The Shire

By: Kari (little took lassie3)

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Author's note: This story is in Pippin's point of view. Pippin is only nine years of age. Let's see, that makes Merry about seventeen. Frodo would be thirty. You can figure out the rest, right?

I've never liked the thunder. It shakes the world and it brings lightning, which brings fire, which brings disaster, and that brings nightmares. My mother told me I was born on a rainy day. She said that they thought something was wrong with me because I wasn't crying. According to my mother as soon as the midwife was about to slap my bottom, thunder boomed and I wailed louder than any babe they had ever heard. That same night as everyone in the Great Smials slept, lightning struck, and fire started just outside our home. Everyone got out safely and the fire did little damage, but it was still a horrible, frightening night in our family's history. My mother says it is impossible for me to remember it happening, but I have nightmares that remind of the day.

My cousin Merry is the only one who believes my nightmares take place. My parents think it's a cry for attention. This is why I like to spend the night at Brandy Hall whenever I can. Sometimes I stay weeks at a time with my cousin Merry. My aunt Esmeralda and uncle Saradoc have even turned one of their guest rooms into my very own in Brandy Hall. I like it because it's right next to Merry's room. When I have a nightmare all I have to do is make the slightest whimper and Merry will here it and come to me.

But one night I am in bed and had been crying for some time , and Merry hadn't come. Assuming that something may have been wrong, I got out of bed and crept into my cousin's room. I looked and saw that he was peacefully asleep. I slid into bed beside him, "Mer?" 

Merry moaned and turned over to face me, "What's wrong, Pippin?" he yawned.

"I had another nightmare."

Merry didn't look surprised, "Pip, it's alright. It's just a dream. Go back to bed."

"But I'm scared," I protested.

"Come on, Pip. Aren't you a little old for this?"

This remark hurt my feelings and I started to cry. My sobs only pestered Merry even more. He told me to be quiet and it made me cry more.

"Aw, Pip stop it. Please."

"Are you mad with me, Merry?"

"No, Pip."

"Can I sleep here tonight?"

Merry seemed hesitant, "Sure."

I asked him what was wrong. He told me it was nothing, but I knew it was something. I asked him again.

"Pippin, it's just that--well, don't take this the wrong way, promise?"

I said I did.

"You need to grow up, Pippin. You're getting too old for these nightmares. I can't spoil you anymore or you'll never learn to take care of yourself. At least that's what my papa says. But I agree with him. I really do. And I think it's a good idea if you go home tomorrow."

"But, I want to stay, Merry," I said quietly, "Merry, I've been having the dream more often now, and I don't want to leave. Merry, what would I do without you?"

"I don't know, but you better figure it out because you're going home, Pippin. You've been here for nearly five weeks now. Don't you think your family misses you?"

"Aw, they don't care about me, Mer."

"Yes they do. Pippin, stop being a spoiled brat."

"I'm not spoiled."

Merry gave a short laugh and I asked him why that was so funny, "I'm _not_ spoiled. I'm not, Mer!"

"Sure."

"I'm not!" I said angrily. How could he think I was spoiled? I furiously pulled the sheets away from him and laid down. He apologized and I forgave him, "Do I still have to leave tomorrow?"

"Yes. And it's not all my planning. Your parents want you home. You do know that Pearl's birthday is next week, right?"

"Of course I know that." I would never forget my sister's birthday.

"Well, you see? We'll be a part just for a week. A week, Pip, and no longer."

"You promise?"

He said he did. And we went to bed.

When I awoke I found that Merry had already gotten out of bed. I found him and my uncle and aunt in the dining room eating breakfast. I was served and ate silently next to Merry. My aunt was talking about a dress she was making just for my sister. She asked me what Pearl's favorite color was and I told her it was blue. Not the blue like the sky, but like the ocean. A rich blue.

"Then that will be the color."

I smiled politely and continued eating. Merry was discussing something with my uncle that concerned Frodo, fishing, and some hobbit named Sam.

"Who's Sam?" I interrupted.

Merry said it was a new friend of Frodo's.

"What's he got to do with fishing?" I asked.

"Well, Frodo, Sam, and I were going to go fishing this weekend."

"Without me?"

"Well, yes. You'll be home with your family, Pip."

"I can stay until Saturday."

"But Pippin, you don't even like fishing. You're bad at it."

I frowned at the insult and Merry apologized. "You'll be bored, Pippin. Sam is my age according to Frodo. Us three will be talking about things that don't interest you."

"Like what?"

"Like older lad things."

"Like what?" I repeated.

Merry didn't answer. He turned back to his father, "Anyway, is it alright if I go, Papa?"

"Of course," answered my uncle.

I stared at Merry waiting for him to answer my question. He never did.

When I returned home I was left quite alone. Merry didn't understand. I had three sisters, and all they were interested in was girl things. My mother was busy preparing for my sister's birthday celebration, and my father was busy doing his job, whatever that was. That night I had my nightmare. I sat up in bed crying louder and louder. It took twenty minutes for Pearl to come in sleepily. She patted me on the head, told me everything was alright, and left. I sat up in bed shocked. What kind of job of comforting was that? I resumed my crying and this time it only took ten minutes for Pearl to return. She looked angry with me.

"I had a nightmare, Pearl."

"I know. It's alright, Pippin. Now, go to bed," she turned to leave,

"Pearl, where are you going?"

"To bed."

"But-- but you're supposed to stay with me until I fall asleep. To be sure that nothing gets me."

"Pippin, it's late. I don't have time for this."

"But that's what Merry does."

"Good _night_,Pippin." And she was gone.

How could she do that? Wasn't I her brother? Didn't she care about me? I started to cry again, but all I received was an angry pound on the wall from Pervinca in the next room. I couldn't believe it. No one cared about me. I had to get back to Merry and fast.

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Alright, so that's the end of chapter one. What do you think? How is it so far? Reviews are greatly appreciated. Greatly.


	2. Samwise

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Childhood in The Shire

By: Kari (little took lassie3)

Chapter 2

If there is anything I know, it's the way to get to Brandy Hall. I remember a few years ago my cousin Merry had gotten lost in the forest on a simple journey to the Great Smials from Brandy Hall, and I knew I had to be careful, but I know the way, and I _know_ I can get there safely. After writing a note to my family explaining that I was to be at Brandy Hall and that I promised Pearl I would not miss her birthday, I was on my way to see Merry. It wasn't hard to sneak out of my home; it was two in the morning and everyone was sound asleep.

I arrived at Brandy Hall at about four in the morning. I crept around to Merry's window. I could almost imagine Merry's surprised face when he saw me, but when he opened the window he revealed an angry expression. He helped me through the window and into his room, "Pippin, what in Middle-Earth are you doing here?!"

"Aren't you glad to see me, Merry?"

"No. What happened? You weren't even gone for one day! Pippin, what the hell?! You're parents must be deadly worried! Peregrin Took, I thought you were more considerate than this!" Merry spoke in the most cruel manner I've ever heard from him. My eyes started to flood with tears. Merry drew a deep breathe, "Aw, Pip, don't cry."

I sniffed and wiped the tears from my eyes, "Why are you so mad, Merry? I thought that we were best friends."

He opened he mouth to retort something, but I interrupted him, "Please, don't yell at me."

Merry's face relaxed. He took me by the hand and led me to my room, "Get in your bed clothes and go to sleep, Pippin," he said uncharacteristically.

I obeyed, and once Merry saw that I was in bed, he left. I laid in bed and felt comfortable. My place was here in Brandy Hall, and I was sure of it. It was the only place I felt safe. At Brandy Hall I had Merry. At the Great Smials I had nobody.

Merry's reaction was nothing compared to my aunt and uncle's. They immediately sent word to my parents that I was safe. I thought for sure that I was going to be sent home, but I was permitted to stay until Sunday; that meant I could go fishing, but Merry didn't seem too excited. 

"Aren't we friends anymore, Merry?" I asked him.

"Of course we are, Pippin. We're the best of friends."

"Then why don't you won't me to go fishing?"

"It's not that I don't want you to go, but I know that when we get there you'll be bored."

"No I won't."

"Yes you will. Pip, we're not playing hide and seek. We're doing older hobbit things."

"Like what?"

"Like stuff you won't like."

"Like _what?_"

Merry didn't answer.

I stomped my foot angrily, "Like _what, _Merry?!"

"Stuff that won't interest you," he said simply.

I grew mad. Why wouldn't he tell me what they were going to do? Were they going to talk about me? I asked Merry and he said of course not, and that its just stuff I won't like. "How would you know that? You don't know if I like it or not!"

But Merry was right. During our fishing trip, I was completely bored. At Brandywine river Merry and I met up with Frodo and Sam. Sam was a stout hobbit. He was shorter than Merry, but taller than me. He had plain brown eyes that stayed focused at his own feet. Sam was a shy lad and I figured I would have to fix that. I started a conversation with him. I found out that he was the youngest son of the Gaffer, the gardener at Bag End. Frodo met Samwise Gamgee when uncle Bilbo started to tutor him.

"Merry is the one who tutored me," I informed him.

"Really?" he seemed impressed, "How old are you?"

"Nine."

After a while Sam left our conversation to join Frodo and Merry with theirs; I was totally lost in it. It sounded like they were talking about some girl. But that was impossible. Merry hates girls, and there he was listening to Frodo's description of some lass named Cecelia Greenhand, "Golden brown curls, bright, beautiful blue eyes, and the most beautiful smile--"

"Frodo?" I interrupted.

"What is it, Pippin?" he smiled down at me.

"Why are you talking about a lass like that?"

Sam and Frodo chuckled with amusement. Merry simply smiled at me. I asked them what was so funny. I turned to Merry for some answer. He looked down at the ground as if he didn't see me there before him, "Merry!?"

"Yes, Pippin?"

"Why are you all talking about a _girl_ like that?"

"You're too young to understand," was the answer.

"I'm nine years old. I can understand anything the three of you can. I'm not little anymore."

Frodo lowered himself down to my eye level, "Cecelia is my -- Er-- special friend."

The way Frodo said "special" was a curious way. I asked him what he meant by "special" and there was more laughter.

Frodo remained kind towards me, "Cecelia is my girlfriend."

I gasped, and was surprised to receive more laughing at my reaction. What was so funny? Frodo was doomed. He had a girlfriend. Girlfriends are evil; Merry said so himself… at least that's what he said a couple years ago. He seemed to have a different opinion now. But why? Oh no, did he…? I quickly turned to Merry, "You don't have a girlfriend, do you, Mer?"

"No."

I sighed with relief. Merry was safe. But for how long? I had to make sure that he didn't fall under the same fate as cousin Frodo. Frodo asked me if I would like to meet Cecelia. I said yes, which was half a lie. He said she'd be at my sister's birthday party. Then he winked and informed me she had a little sister. I didn't really understand his point, and I told him that that was nice, and they all laughed at me once again. Next time when Merry says not to go fishing with him, I'll listen. Not only did I not catch _any_ fish, but I was cast into a world that I didn't understand. A world of girls and things that disgusted me. Things that used to disgust Merry, too. What had come over Merry and Frodo was a wonder to me. I don't think Sam influenced any of this behavior, for he was way too shy. Plus today was the first day Merry and Sam met, and now that I think about it, Frodo had sort of always acted like this. When girls asked him to dance with them at parties he did so with no objections, unlike Merry and I who tried any plan of escape. Whatever did this to Merry, I had to reverse its effect on him. What if a girl asked him to dance at Pearl's birthday party? Would he do it? The Merry I know would never do it, but who was this stranger now? He was a whole new hobbit, but that was nothing I couldn't change. Yes. I had to save him before he did something crazy like getting a girlfriend, or worse.


	3. Cindy

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Childhood in The Shire

By: Kari (little took lassie3)

Chapter 3

At my sister's birthday celebration I met Cecelia. She didn't look anything like the way Frodo described her. She had curly hair, not golden, but a tumble weed brown. Her eyes blue, but icy. Her smile was nice, but not stunningly beautiful like Frodo had said. But despise my opinions, I found my cousin Merry acting very strangely. When Frodo introduced him to Cecelia his face was red and he smiled shyly. He spoke some odd language that I believed he invented himself, "H-h-h-he-low, Or a-r-r-ree yooo? Meee n-n-nawm eez M-m-m-m-m-m--"

Frodo spent the entire day with Cecelia, and Merry, Sam, and Fatty spent the entire day gazing at Cecelia with a peculiar look on their faces. "What's _wrong_ with you!?" I finally busted after two hours of watching Frodo and Cecelia dancing. I waved my hand in front of Merry's dazed face, "_Hullooooo_?"

Merry swatted my hand away, "Go get some cake or something, Pip."

"I already had three servings!"

"_Boys_," came a voice from behind. It was my sisters along with some other girls. Pearl approached Merry who didn't notice her, for he was still staring at Cecelia. She softly smacked him on the head, "Why don't you look at any of the rest of us?"

"Hm, what?"

"It's no use, Pearl," I informed her, "They have all gone mad."

All the girls seemed to smile at me with approval. They invited me to join them. I did. They took me to a table where an even larger group of girls sat. Every lass at that table had one thing in common: They hated Cecelia. They sat at the table glaring at the hobbit and talked of her nastily.

I didn't get it. Why did they hate her? What did she do to them? I asked Pearl.

"She thinks she can have _anything_ she wants!" she huffed, "Well, it's _my_ birthday, and you know what I'm going to do?"

Every girl at the table turned their attention to Pearl.

"I'm going to ask Frodo to dance with _me_."

"Good idea!"

"He won't turn down the birthday girl!"

"Go on, Pearl, ask him!"

"He has to accept, you're his cousin!"

"It would be mean if he didn't!"

"Go, Pearl!"

Pearl stood up from the table, straightened out her dress, played with her hair a little, and started her walk to the dance floor. Every lass attentively watched as she approached Frodo, lightly tapped him on the shoulder, and said something to him inaudible over the music. Then Frodo nodded, he turned to Cecelia and said something, and Pearl said something to her as well. The Cecelia left the dance floor, as Frodo and Peal began to dance.

All the girls cheered in triumph. I watched as Cecelia walked off the dance floor; almost immediately, all the boys offered her their chair, but she rejected all of their offers with a simple wave of her hand and sat down at a table, alone. I studied her and thought she looked unhappy. A sense of guilt formed within me as all the lasses around me began to laugh and mock her.

I went over to her, "Hullo," I said as nicely as I could. Through the corner of my eye I saw that all the lads _and_ lasses eyes were on us. What was wrong with them?

Cecelia smiled weakly at me, "Hullo, Pippin."

I sat down on a chair beside her, "Are you sad?"

"What do you mean?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I dunno. I saw my sister interrupt you and Frodo's dance, and you looked sad. Are you alright?"

She smiled, and pinched my cheeks lovingly, "Why, aren't you the _sweetest_ thing!"

"I know," I answered truthfully, and she chuckled with delight.

"Oh!" she giggled, "Well, if I was sad at any time I can assure you, I'm not anymore. You sure are the little charmer, Pippin Took."

"Thank you."

She laughed again. She stopped when a young lass came and stood before us. The girl was my age, perhaps a year younger if any. She had blue eyes, much like Cecelia's, and the same color hair. "This is my little sister, Pippin. Her name is Cindy."

"Hullo."

"Hullo."

The lass stared at me as if waiting for me to do something, "What?" I asked her.

"Aren't you going to ask me to dance?"

"I wasn't planning to," I replied.

She seemed insulted. I asked her what was wrong, and she said that no one refused to dance with her.

"Well, I just did," I said, and started to walk away. She grabbed by the arm. I stared at her. What did she think she was doing?

"Dance with me!"

"No," I said stiffly and I pulled away from her.

"Oh, please, Pippin," said Cecelia, "Just one dance with my sister. She's been so upset that she hasn't been able to dance all day."

She didn't look upset. But I danced with her. While we danced all I received from her was criticism on the way I danced, "Why don't you put your arms around me tighter? Are you afraid of me?"

"_No_,"

"You move rather stiffly."

I glared at her.

She laughed, "Have you ever danced with a lass before?"

"Yes."

"Family doesn't count."

"I've danced with a girl before."

"The same girl twice?"

"No."

"I can see why."

I said nothing. So I wasn't a graceful dancer. I wasn't even trying. Who cared?

"I hope you practice so at the next party I'll have a suitable dance partner."

It was my turn to laugh.

"I'm serious," she retorted, "I won't have a boyfriend who can't dance."

"_WHAT_?" I pulled away from her, "I'm not your boyfriend."

"Yes you are."

"Since when?'

"Since you asked me to dance."

"I didn't ask you! You made me! Anyway, just because you dance with a girl, it doesn't mean you're her boyfriend."

"Yes it does."

"No it doesn't-- _Why_?"

"It's the rules."

"What rules?"

"Boyfriend and girlfriend rules."

"There's no such thing!"

"Of course there are!"

I stared at her. She seemed to be pretty confident on what she was saying. What if she was telling the truth? I gulped, "Now what happens?"

"You kiss me."

"I don't want to kiss a _girl_!"

"It's the rules! Believe me, I'd rather be kissed by someone else," she sighed, "But I guess I'll settle for you."

I looked around nervously. I saw that Merry was looking at me. 

"_WELL_?"

I took a deep breathe, closed my eyes, and planted a kiss on her cheek. I held my breathe. I was OK. I wasn't dead. "Is that all?" I asked her.

"I suppose so," she sighed, "… for now."

I ran away. I really did run. Merry greeted me with a laugh, "What was that, Pip?"

I told him to shut up.

"I thought you didn't like girls, Pip."

"I don't!" I then explained to him and the other lads what had happened. They all laughed. 

"There's no such thing as 'boyfriend and girlfriend rules', Pippin," said Fatty.

I was furious, "She tricked me!" I screamed.

"Whoa! Calm down, Pip!" Merry offered me a slice of cake. I took it, "So," he began, "When will you see her again?"

"NEVER!" What in Middle-Earth was he thinking? Later, I realized he was kidding. 

Never again will I ask a girl to dance. In fact at the next party, I'll stay some fifty feet away from all girls. Who knew? I might've even gotten tricked into marrying Cindy if I didn't leave her then.


	4. Thunder Storm

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Childhood in The Shire

By: Kari (little took lassie3)

Chapter 4

I was glad that my cousins Frodo and Merry stood at the Great Smials for the rest of the weekend, for I was not allowed to leave home for my lack of being there. Samwise Gamgee stayed too. Because it looked as if it was going to rain, I made the three sleep on the floor of my room. Sam shared with me that when he was little, he feared thunder storms too. I asked him why he didn't anymore.

"Why, I found out it was the rain that made the flowers grow."

I told Sam that was a silly reason to like the rain and Merry scolded me and said that that was impolite. I apologized.

I was awoken from my nightmare that night from a loud boom of thunder. I wailed and Merry came to comfort me, "_Shhh_, it's alright, Pip."

But it wasn't. My nightmare normally made no sense. I would see the lightening strike, then fire, and what was ablaze and who's voice I heard screaming was not clear. But I knew now. I had thought my dream was a horrible memory, but it was really a horrible future. It was _now_. I tried to explain what my dream was about to Merry, but I seemed to have forgotten the common language.

"Pippin, calm down," Merry tried to stop my babbling nonsense.

"Merry! It was her!"

"What? _Who_?"

I looked to Frodo. I must have had a look on my face that suggested what I was thinking, for he guessed correctly, "Cecelia."

I nodded, "Her smial's on fire! It was the lightning!"

"Pip, it was a dream."

"_NO!_" I shouted at Merry and it startled him immensely. He stared at me for sometime. I started again, "We have to do something! She's in trouble! I _know_ it!"

Though I seemed to have convinced them, there was nothing that we _could_ do. Outdoors, it was now hailing. My father reported to us that the hail was as big as his own fist. He and my mother didn't allow any of us to go to Cecelia's rescue. I didn't understand. If Frodo was truly Cecelia's boyfriend, didn't that mean that he was _supposed _to save her? Wasn't that the job of the boyfriend? Why wouldn't my parents let us go? Why would they stop Frodo from doing what he was supposed to do? Frodo too had the same questions and my parents said that he was _their_ responsibility, and no nine-year-old child's _nightmare_ was going to risk his life.

But Frodo seemed to believe my nightmare more than anybody else, and he tried numerous times to run out of the hole, my father stopping him each time, "It's too dangerous, Boy."

After a dozen failed attempts at leaving, Frodo gave up. Sam tried to comfort him, as Merry took me back to my room to go back to sleep, "I don't want to sleep, Merry! Cecelia's in trouble!"

"Sorry, Pip, I'm just doing what your parents told me to do."

"_Please_, Merry! Don't make me go to sleep!"

"I won't. Just lay in bed, Pip. You don't necessarily have to _sleep_."

Merry was always a genius at outsmarting our parents.

Just as we were about to enter my room, I saw my sisters were awake and talking just outside the door of Pearl's room. "_I _hope it really is on fire," I heard Pimpernel remark, and my first instinct was to attack her, but Merry held me back, "Just ignore it, Pippin."

"Why are my sisters so mean about Cecelia, Merry?" I asked him as he tucked me into bed.

Merry sighed, "What a question," he paused, "Well, that's just the way girls are. You see, if one lass is prettier than other lasses, then that lass is hated by those _other_ lasses."

"Why? That doesn't make any sense!"

"That's just the way girls are. You're sisters are just jealous. Cecelia is more beautiful than the three of them combined, plus all their dumb friends…" Merry's voice slowly trailed away. He shook his head, ridding of the dreamy expression that was briefly showed, "Er-- Anyway, don't mind them, Pippin. It's just talk. Words can't hurt."

"Yes they can! They _can_, Merry!" I disagreed. To show what I meant I stood up in bed and pointed at Merry and called him an ugly, dumb, smelly stinker, "_See? _Didn't that hurt? It would have hurt me!"

"But you mustn't let it, Pippin."

We paused as we heard evil laughter from my sisters. I scowled, "Oh, I'll show them!" 

Merry caught me just as I was about to leap off my bed. He laid me down again, "People can say anything they want to, but that doesn't mean those things are true. As long as you know these things aren't true, then there is no need to fuss about them. You're sisters can call Cecelia anything, but _you_ know how she really is. You met her."

"She's really nice, Mer. I don't understand why they talk so cruel. I don't understand why they don't like her."

"Because they never took it upon themselves to _meet_ her. All they saw was a beautiful lass. A threat. An enemy. I know it sounds unfair, but everyone does it."

"I don't."

"I bet you have."

"I'd _never_ be that mean!"

"_Every_one has done it. Including you and I. We may not realize it, but we do it. It's awful, I know, but we do it. Why? Well, we're selfish. All we can think about is what makes _us_ happy. What makes _us _feel good. And if mocking somebody gives us a better respect for ourselves-- we do it."

That whole night was overwhelming. And despite my anger, my bewilderment, and my fear for poor Cecelia's life, I fell asleep. I would only awake in the morning to the more dreadful news that Cecelia was dead.


	5. Orphan

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Childhood in The Shire

By: Kari (little took lassie3)

Chapter 5

Cousin Frodo wasn't there when I woke up. My cousin Merry was the one who told me the news. Surprisingly, I found someone I did not expect to be at the Great Smials that morning. Cindy. This is what happened:

I awoke at about six in the morning and found that I was the last one up. No one was in my room, so I walked down the hall and I found almost everyone in the dining room. But they were not eating breakfast, as I expected them to be doing. My father and Frodo were missing. In the dining room I discovered Cindy; she sat at the table, her face buried in her hands and sobbing uncontrollably, "I-I-I didn't kn-now where else to g-g-g-go! So I-I-I ca-ame here!"

"There, there, Honey, _shhh_," My mother soothed, taking the lass in her arms. I looked to Merry for some answer as to what was happening. He took me out of the room and in the hall he told me.

"Little Cindy showed up here just some twenty minutes ago. She was a mess-- crying and hysterical. She told us that she awoke about three in the morning, smelling smoke. She escaped out of the hole just in time--"

"But," I interrupted, "Where are her parents? Her sister?!"

"Pip," there was a long pause, "They're dead."

"Pippin!" my mother called me in the dining room. She ordered me to take Cindy to my room and make her feel at home, "And Pippin," she added, "try and be a gentleman."

I nodded and took Cindy by the hand, "This way, Cindy."

When we reached my room, Cindy sat on my bed and cried. I stood watching, wondering what I was supposed to do. How was I supposed to be a gentleman? After some ten minutes I decided I'd try to comfort her as Merry had done with me when I was upset. I sat beside her and placed my hand gently on her shoulder, "Are you alright?"

She wailed louder and I regretted my question. She threw her arms around me and though I could barely breathe I managed to tell her that everything was alright as nicely as I could, just as Merry would say it. But it wasn't very effective and the lass continued to cry and I felt my insides about to burst for she squeezed me harder.

Soon Merry and Sam entered the room and I pleaded for their help. Sam tried to cheer her up with a funny poem about a hobbit that tried to wear five hats at once, but it didn't help any. Merry tried what I had said earlier, but he must've said it differently because the lass stopped. I guess Merry had that special touch.

My mother called for Merry and Sam, and Cindy and I were left alone once more.

"Are you OK now?" I asked her.

"What do _you_ think?"

"I'm just trying to be nice."

"…sorry," she said softly. She sniffed, "It's just I-I don't know what I'm going to do, you know? I've got nobody. _Nobody_. I'm an orphan. What's going to happen to me?"

"Well, you know what happened to Frodo when his mother and father died?"

"No."

"Bilbo adopted him, and he's doing alright."

"I don't want to be adopted!" she started to cry again.

"Oh, come on Cindy, don't cry. Crying doesn't solve anything." I seemed to have gotten her attention, I continued, "Crying won't bring your parents back. It won't bring your sister back either. It doesn't do anything but cause sorrow in the people around the person who is crying." I had to admit that I stole these words from my cousin Merry. He told me something similar to me when my pet mouse died when I was seven. The speech worked.

She sighed, "You're right," she paused, "Pippin?"

I hesitated slightly, "Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Your welcome."

Cindy was adopted by her aunt and uncle on her mother's side. I promised I would visit her as soon as possible, but the promise was a little forced. When the time came to see her again, I would only discover that I longed to know how the lass was doing.

I found out that her new life was a bit of depressing one. Her aunt and uncle already had twelve children of their own to worry about. They didn't have time for Cindy. My cousin Frodo wanted to adopt Cindy himself, but Frodo still a few years away from his coming of age. I wish he could, and I thought it was only right, for Frodo visited Cindy at least once a week to see how she was doing. 

I think that Frodo really did intend to marry Cecelia, and it saddens me to think that Frodo has lost his parents and now his love. Not that I wanted him to get married and leave me, but he is my cousin and friend, and Cecelia did make him happy. In my opinion, Frodo is the bravest hobbit I had ever met. He had to survive so many tragedies in his life, but no matter what he had to face, the next day I would see him with that kind smile on his face. He was really something, and I admired him greatly.


	6. Abuse

****

Childhood in The Shire

By: Kari (little took lassie3)

Chapter 6

I didn't like Cindy's aunt and uncle. They glared at me with piercing eyes, and my first impression was that they were of the evil sort. Their children remained of the happy kind, except for the three eldest who treated me nastily. They snarled and glared at me the way their parents did, if not worse. Seeing them made me feel sorry for Cindy. I took it upon myself to become her friend. She could call me her boyfriend or whatever she liked, but a friend she remained towards me.

My parents thought it odd when I began to favor visiting Cindy rather than Merry. My sisters kept asking me when I was going to purpose; I didn't know what they meant, but I suspected they were mocking me for wanting to be friends with a girl.

But I found that not all girls acted like girls. Cindy didn't spend hours brushing her hair and gazing at herself in the mirror like my sisters did. At times I even forgot she was a lass! She and I shared a lot of things in common, but mainly our love for eating. I liked chocolate. She liked chocolate. Peppermint, carrot cake, blue berry muffins, cheese, strawberry jam, caramel apples-- she loved it all, as did I. It was hard to believe that I found someone who could eat more than Merry, who was never a competition to me when it came to eating, but Cindy sometimes beat me. She also enjoyed reading like me. And her most hated sport was fishing. She said it was boring, and I agreed.

After several weeks I found that I longed to be with another lad--with my Merry. After all, Cindy _was _a girl, and she and I had our differences. For instance she loved to dance, and I despised it. So, it was time to see my favorite cousin and best friend again. I left Cindy with a promise that I wouldn't be away too long, but she seemed not to want to part with me.

"Oh, please, Pippin! Don't leave me!"

"Oh, come now, Cindy! You're being silly!" I told her.

She hugged me tightly, which was something she always did when it was time for her to return to her aunt and uncle's house after long visits at the Great Smials, "Don't be too long," she said.

I said I wouldn't.

When I got to Brandy Hall, I realized I had forgotten how at home I felt there. When many weeks passed and the suggestion of me returning home came up, I revived my old habit of doing _anything_ to be able to stay just for a little longer.

"I'm sure your little lady friend misses you, Pippin," said Merry. He begun to refer to Cindy as my "little lady friend", and I didn't like it for he said it as Frodo had once called Cecelia his "special friend". If Merry had any notion that Cindy was my _girlfriend_-- he was crazy. He has not been of the sane type since his fifteenth birthday. That is the moment where I had pinned the beginning of his peculiar behavior.

At that moment I wasn't sure if Cindy did miss me, but after a lot of pleading I stayed at Brandy Hall for an additional two weeks. But Cindy did miss me, and she proved it by showing up at Brandy Hall and fetching me after my two months of absence.

As she dragged me out of the Hall, Merry called after me, "Good luck!"

I wondered what the luck was for, but I soon found out it was for defending myself as Cindy yelled at me for three hours straight.

I noticed as we made our way to the Great Smials that Cindy had a nasty bruise on her arm, and I asked her where she got it from. It wasn't the first time I saw a bruise on her, but this one was bigger. I wondered if she would use her usual excuse that she got it from wrestling with her little cousins.

She did.

This time I was hesitant to believe her. I knew for a fact that her younger cousins were very active; there was a set of twin five-year-olds that always greeted me by playfully knocking and tackling me to the ground, but it never left a scratch or bump on me.

I decided I would buy the tale, and I left the subject alone, but I couldn't help but notice that as the days passed, the number of bruises and bumps did too. For two years I never thought it was anything serious, but one day when she came to my hole with several bruises on her arms and a cut just above her right eye, I became concerned and I decided to talk with my cousin Merry about it.

Merry had just turned twenty. I believe he was twenty and four months. Whatever it was I was constantly reminded by my parents that he was now a tween and he probably didn't have time for me, a simple eleven-year-old. But I begged to differ, for I was going to be twelve very soon. And Merry never would tell me that he didn't have time for his best friend!

I went to Brandy Hall and I told him that I needed to talk to him about Cindy.

"Sure, Pip, what is it?" he asked.

"Well, it's just that I'm kind of worried about her."

"Why? What's wrong? She get another lad friend?"

"No. Merry, this is serious."

"What?"

I explained to him about the increasing amount of bruises over the years.

"Hasn't Frodo noticed?"

"Naw, she only shows me. Not that she doesn't like Frodo, but she trusts me more than him… maybe because he's so old. But this time she's got this cut on her _face_. Somebody has to see it," I sighed, "What do you think is happening to her, Mer?"

Merry said he wasn't sure, but he had a pretty good idea it had something to do with Cindy's uncle. Merry met him once too, and he told me from the very start that he didn't like the hobbit. Merry said he would have to tell his father and inform Frodo too. 

Cindy's uncle was arrested by the shirrifs for child abuse. Merry told me that Cindy's uncle was sick in the head, and that Cindy got those bruises from being beat by him. I asked Cindy if that was true, and she said yes. I asked her why she didn't tell me. She said she was afraid. I never told her, but I always thought that was dumb of her.

When Cindy's uncle was arrested, Cindy was readopted by my cousin Frodo who was to turn the legal age of thirty three in _two_ days.


	7. Just Keep Walking

****

Childhood in The Shire

By: Kari (little took lassie3)

Chapter 7

Bilbo and Frodo had grand conjoined birthday party that year. I danced with Cindy for a while, then I joined my cousin Merry in a mission of obtaining some fireworks.

"Here's the plan," begun my cousin, "Gandalf's got a cart full of fireworks. When he's not looking, I'll boost you up and into the cart and you grab the _biggest_ one. I'll keep watch, alright? Once you get it we'll take it into one of the empty party tents and light it!"

I nodded signaling that I understood what I had to do.

"Alright, let's go!"

Merry and I hid inside a tent next to the firework cart and waited for Gandalf to collect his fireworks for his next display. As soon as he left we ran to the cart. Merry hoisted me up. I climbed into the cart and begun searching for a firework stick. I grabbed one and grinned at it, imagining the colorful explosion it would create in the night sky.

"No. no, _no_!" said Merry, "The _big_ one! The _big_ one!"

I found the biggest one that had a dragon's head on it. I smiled at the face and showed it to Merry who looked equally impressed. I hopped out of the cart and Merry and I retreated into the party tent.

I stuck the thing in the ground as best I could as Merry made sure that nobody was coming. I took a sparkler from my pocket and used it to light the firework, "It's done!"

"You're supposed to stick it in the ground!" Merry exclaimed leaning the firework towards me.

"It _is_ in the ground!" I said pushing it back towards him.

"_Outside!_" He pushed it back.

"It was _your_ idea!" I shoved it back at him, and as I did so the thing powerfully shot up with a big _boom_. I shrieked and fell backwards. When I gazed up I saw that the firework had taken the entire party tent along with it. The firework had took the shape of a large, fiery dragon. It swooped over the party guests as they fled from it in complete chaos. Merry helped me up from the ground; his face was black and his hair stuck up in a funny way, as did mine due to the firework's explosion. Merry and I watched the dragon soar high up into the night sky over the lake, there it exploded into a shower of bright orange and red sparks. It was a beautiful scene and everyone cheered.

"That was good," said Merry.

I nodded, "Let's get another one!" But just then I felt a sharp pinching on my ear. I looked up it was Gandalf.

"Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took-- I might've known…"

Merry and I were punished by being forced to wash the dishes and such, but I didn't care. It was worth it. I got to unleash a _dragon_. How many hobbits can say they did that?

As I scrubbed and Merry dried, and Gandalf kept a close eye on us both, Bilbo began his speech. I wasn't one for speeches, and I honestly wasn't listening. A few minutes passed and I heard Bilbo say, "…and I wish you all a very fond farewell. Now, goodbye."

I looked up and saw Bilbo vanish before my eyes. I stared in disbelief. Where did he go?! I looked to Merry who was just as shocked, then to Gandalf who stood from the table. 

"Gandalf, what's--"

"You keep washing those dishes, Peregrin Took!" and he was gone.

I glanced at Merry who silently resumed drying the dishes, and I reluctantly continued my work, hoping that nothing serious happened to Bilbo.

Bilbo was gone. I didn't know where he went or why he went. He left me a couple of books. When Frodo delivered them to me they had a note that read: "To PEREGRIN TOOK from your uncle Bilbo with great love."

I asked Frodo if Bilbo died, and he said that he was positively sure that Bilbo was very much alive. I believed him, but others didn't.

Cindy believed him too, But being the adopted daughter of someone as "odd" as Frodo wasn't very flattering. I didn't think Frodo was odd. He was one of the hobbits I admired most, but a lot of hobbits disagreed. Because of Frodo's reputation, a lot of lads and lasses our age teased Cindy. But I made it my job to shut them all up. One day I got in a fight with a couple of Boffinses who were laughing and mocking Cindy as we made our way to Bag End. I beat them of course, but it being my third fight in one week, I was punished severely by my parents.

"No leaving this house," scolded my mother, "Not to Brandy Hall. Not to Bag End. No, Peregrin Took, you are in _deep_ trouble!"

"Mother," I protested, "I was just trying to--"

"No excuses!" she cut in before I could give reasons for my actions, "Your father and I are very upset with you! Honestly, Pippin, three fights in _one_ week!?"

"Aw, they all deserved it…"

She slapped me on the head, "Hush! Now, you get to bed!"

I was banished from the outside world for three weeks. "Three fights. Three weeks," was what my father said, "And you remember that! For every fight you get in, a week of punishment awaits you."

After my sentence was carried out, I went to Brandy Hall. I needed to see Merry and tell him of my unfair situation. But when I talked to my cousin, he seemed to agree with my parents' decision. I told him he was a trader and being very mean to me.

"I'm not trying to be mean, Pippin. You should not have fought those hobbits. Don't you remember what I told you? Words--"

"Can't hurt," I recited, "I know, but Mer-- you should of heard what they said! I just-- ugh!" I clenched my fists.

"Calm down, Pip."

I took a deep breath, "Alright," I looked to Merry, "So when I see them again and if they tease Cindy, I--"

"Just keep walking."

"_What? _Can't I yell at them back, or--"

"No!" Merry exclaimed.

"I keep _walking_?" I repeated. Merry nodded, "That's stupid," I said. Merry laughed. I ignored it, for I knew that he had gone insane. Honestly! _Walking away? _What had came over him?

When I saw the boys who made the remarks about Cindy, I saw there was no need to walk away from insults, for none were made. They and the rest of the lads my age seemed to be afraid of me. Excellent.

That was very much how most of the days passed. If anyone made the slightest snicker about Cindy or Frodo in my presence, all I had to do was look at them, and they would cower back.

Merry told me I should've apologized to them, but I was enjoying my power too much to give it up, I would only regret my boasting when I came across a hobbit who was not intimidated by my reputation. He was _huge_. I thought him to be twice my age, but he was two year younger than me! What did his parents feed him?! I was knocked out in one effortless punch.

When I came to I saw stars along with Cindy leaning over me, "Are you OK, Pippin?"

I sat up and rubbed my head that throbbed and pounded horribly, "I suppose so…"

Cindy helped me to my feet, "I told you to leave him alone," she sighed, "Let's get you to Bag End, so that you can rest."

I received another week of punishment. I guess I should've known better than to ignore advice from Merry.


End file.
